If this has already been discussed, I apologize, I did'nt find anything on "The King".

Interested in your opinion about his work. I have played a
few of his designs including BayHill, which I thought was pretty
good.

There have been many Palmer discussions here before.

My prior club was a Palmer Design and I had the good fortune to meet the late Ed Seay and the project architect for the club, Erik Larsen, who visited us on the 10th anniversary of the club's opening.

Give AP credit -- the branding of his name has certainly allowed a wide following to emerge and chase after him and as a result put mega $$ in his pockets through his "design" work.

Overall, AP's design career is really lackluster given the layouts I have played in his portfolio. When you consider the opportunities that AP has had in terms of quality sites and bankrolled $$ behind him -- the net result from a quality architectural side is really very thin -- check out -- extremely thin.

As Steve S suggested -- there have been many previous discussion on AP.

I belong to two Palmer courses Musgrove Mill in SC (it is on the best modern list of GW) and The CC at Woodmore ranked 8th on the GD state list.  I probably have played 20 or so courses he or his design team have built.  I would give most of them a grade of B or B+.  I'm sure about the Doak scale but that may translate to a 5 or 6 for a few of them. He designs good courses, fun courses but not great courses.  I think Musgrove Mill may be his best.

Agree that Musgrove Mill is the best Palmer I've played.  Thanks, Turboe.  

Is Bay Hall a Palmer Design original?  Wasn't Dick Wilson....?

yes, but has AP ever REALLY designed anything?

I've never really liked his work. I've played very little of his (or theirs) and have never tried to seek it out when going to a new area to play. I think he's been given some pretty good sites that have not been capitalized on. I think JN, his long time rival on the course and off, has probably a better body of work, although he isn't exactly my fav as well. The most notable of Palmers I've played has been Aviara. It's got a good finisher, but the rest of the course is very forgettable and I've played it a few times.

Kings North has always been one of my favorites at Myrtle Beach.

But as Bill pointed out Kyle, AP didn't originally design BH, Dick Wilson did.

Tralee has some of the greatest dunes holes and also some great estuary holes-very scenic course with a couple of goofy holes most notably the 11th a par five that is about uphill as any you'll ever see.

Bill,

King's North is the only one I have played from his firm, and let me tell you: it does not really make me want to play any other....

Bunkers in the shape of letters (S.C.), a gazillion bunkers on the 18th, the "famous" Gambler par 5....

There must be at least a dozen better courses in Myrtle Beach!

Sorry to not agree with you on that one!

YP

Yannick,

I have other favorites at MB, but for some reason I always liked Kings North. It was always in really good condition, and lots of fun shots.

I agree about the gambler. Stupid hole and no reason  to "gamble" so I just play it like a par 5 and try to make birdie with a wedge.


Wonder what others say about the course?

Quote from: Andy Troeger on December 06, 2007, 09:01:13 PM

Only Palmer course I've played is Tartan Fields in Dublin, OH. As Tommy said earlier in the thread, its good, fun golf, but not great. Any other thoughts on that course?

Andy:

I was the original Director of Golf at Tartan Fields and was there throughout the construction process. I got to see first hand how a hands-on owner could influence the design process (and not in a positive way). But, if you are writing the checks, your opinion is all that really matters It could have been a bit better, but some changes were made in the field without the consent of the lead architect (Harrison Minchew), and the end result was not as good as it could have been.

You are right, it can be a fun golf course, and it's very user-friendly (huge fairways!!!).

Regards,

Sobe

Doug,
I would agree that its user friendly generally for the better player but I remember quite a few forced carries and water holes that could make it a ball-eater for someone who doesn't carry the ball far or is a little off. The island green at #8 didn't do much for me with the row of houses as the backdrop.

I did think there were some very cool uses of angled hazards on other holes though, like #10 (which got me) and #12 I think where I hit the green. The par three sixth would be another good example of that. I think it usually is ranked toward the bottom of the top 25 in Ohio which is probably about right with my fairly limited experience in the state.